# Eyelid Twitching **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 30, 2017, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eyelid-twitching/785546 "2017-04-30T00:59:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![anomalous1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e56c9b/32.png) [@anomalous1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anomalous1)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2017, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eyelid-twitching/785546/1 "2017-04-30T00:59:24Z")
Alright, I’m really annoyed right now, yesterday my lower eyelid on my right eye started twitching, comes and goes, I figured it was because of lack of sleep, i tried stretching it, rubbing it etc… and it won’t stop and it’s really annoying. I woke today and it is doing the same thing, albeit much less, and only like twice an hour for a few seconds, still annoying as hell. Does anyone else experience this? What causes it? Any clever ways of making it stop. Not a stroke, cancer, or neurological thing, I’m healthy as can be. I am just so irritated by it, its enormously annoying and any help would be appreciated to make it just STOP! Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2017, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eyelid-twitching/785546/2 "2017-04-30T01:10:59Z")
Have you been tested for strokes, cancer or neurological things? I’d start there. I’ve had this before, usually it was from stimulant usage (caffeine or ephedrine), that or lack of sleep. No idea about your case though. I’m obviously not a doctor, but you said it is better today than yesterday. Odds are then that it’ll be better tomorrow too. But I have no idea. ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Sanchez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e19adc/32.png) [@Rick\_Sanchez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Sanchez)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2017, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eyelid-twitching/785546/3 "2017-04-30T01:31:51Z")
I get a twitchy eyelid from time to time. It usually goes after a couple of days. Apparently it’s very common. It’s bloody annoying though. As far as I know there’s no way to stop it. You’ve just got to let it run its course. ---
**Author:** ![anomalous1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e56c9b/32.png) [@anomalous1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anomalous1)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2017, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eyelid-twitching/785546/4 "2017-04-30T01:45:20Z")
Makes sense, seems like it might coincide with coffee intake. Yes I’ve been tested for those things, been a few years, but I have had the twitch thing before those tests too. I know its not serious. I just wish there was a way to make it dissipate. Its most annoying when driving, for obvious reasons. ---
**Author:** ![trylikeafool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5f9b8f/32.png) [@trylikeafool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/trylikeafool)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2017, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eyelid-twitching/785546/5 "2017-04-30T02:49:23Z")
Yes, happened to me a couple of weeks ago. Except mine was a twitchy lip. I’ve had the eye twitch before as well. Don’t know what causes it, but it’s nothing serious if it goes away after a couple of days. If it’s an everyday thing and gets worse, then maybe get it checked out. Otherwise, don’t worry about it. Our bodies can do weird things sometimes. ---
**Author:** ![purplehearingaid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@purplehearingaid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehearingaid)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2017, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eyelid-twitching/785546/6 "2017-04-30T03:34:51Z")
Have you been under any thing of stress lately , that could cause your eye to twitch . If it doesn’t go away a checkup would be a good idea. ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2017, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eyelid-twitching/785546/7 "2017-04-30T03:40:39Z")
Mine started with an eye twitch and now it is the whole left side of my face, I can feel it but most don’t notice it unless it is really acting up. I am pretty sure I have finally figured out the cause after 2 1/2 years. I finally ran out of the medical THC I bought 2 1/2 years ago and now it is clearing up. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2017, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eyelid-twitching/785546/8 "2017-04-30T06:53:36Z")
It may likely be from stress or lack of sleep. If it persists after you’ve rested / caught up on sleep / de-stressed, see a doctor. If it persists it could be HFS, hemifacial spasm. I recently wrote about my case here, [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=824211](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=824211), and if it is HFS take a look there. ---
**Author:** ![anomalous1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e56c9b/32.png) [@anomalous1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anomalous1)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2017, 7:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eyelid-twitching/785546/9 "2017-04-30T07:01:42Z")
It seems to have mostly gone away since i posted. I mean it did for a split second in the shower but stopped. I’m thinking it was because I sleep with a black eyemask (light, not sound wakes me up) and it got pressed too hard against my eye or something when sleeping. Haven’t been stressed out as of late, so that idea is out. I’m going to sleep without anything covering my eyes (except eyelids) and see if it stays away. Thanks for the responses, I’ll check back in with an update lol ---
**Author:** ![GrumpyBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bc8723/32.png) [@GrumpyBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrumpyBunny)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2017, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eyelid-twitching/785546/10 "2017-04-30T14:27:42Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > Have you been tested for strokes, cancer or neurological things? I’d start there. No, don’t do this. Random eyelid twitching is, in the absence of other symptoms that you’d notice, generally self-limited and benign. It happens to me when I’m under stress. It will happen off and on for a few days to a week, then stops. If it doesn’t stop, then yes, see a doctor. But odds are, it’s a random muscle twitch and nothing more. ---
**Author:** ![up\_the\_junction](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f1d935/32.png) [@up\_the\_junction](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/up_the_junction)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2017, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eyelid-twitching/785546/11 "2017-04-30T14:31:58Z")
Used to get it occasionally back in the day pre-exams; combo of stress and lack of good quality sleep. ---
**Author:** ![anomalous1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e56c9b/32.png) [@anomalous1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anomalous1)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2017, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eyelid-twitching/785546/12 "2017-04-30T16:06:47Z")
Well, I appreciate all the advice, I woke up and its gone. It’s amazing how something that little could disrupt a day. I think it went away when my eyes opened really wide is disbelief about a post over in “Great Debates” earlier. Thanks again! ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2017, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eyelid-twitching/785546/13 "2017-05-01T05:24:51Z")
Glad to hear you’re good-to-go. Now you’ve got me wondering what that GD thread is… ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2017, 7:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eyelid-twitching/785546/14 "2017-05-01T07:48:32Z")
I’ve been getting the same thing lately - right eyelid, twitching like crazy, on and off for most of the day - definitely correlated with stress, tiredness and caffeine intake ---
**Author:** ![sandra\_nz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eada6e/32.png) [@sandra\_nz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sandra_nz)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2017, 8:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eyelid-twitching/785546/15 "2017-05-01T08:20:22Z")
Another data point for you, I get this when I’ve had too much caffeine or am stressed. ---
**Author:** ![erysichthon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d07c76/32.png) [@erysichthon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/erysichthon)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2017, 10:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eyelid-twitching/785546/16 "2017-05-01T10:06:39Z")
A potassium supplement might help (or you could eat lots of bananas). ---
**Author:** ![you\_with\_the\_face](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/ecccb3/32.png) [@you\_with\_the\_face](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/you_with_the_face)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2017, 10:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eyelid-twitching/785546/17 "2017-05-01T10:26:10Z")
Tonic water is good for this. It contains quinine, a muscle relaxant. ---
**Author:** ![anomalous1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e56c9b/32.png) [@anomalous1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anomalous1)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2017, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eyelid-twitching/785546/18 "2017-05-01T12:12:00Z")
I’ll probably pick up some tonic water and eat a banana next time it happens to see if it helps. Yeah it was the same here, my right eyelid, drove me…bananas. Oh and the thread I read that fixed it (eyes opening in disbelief) was the one about the penis cutting and women hating penises one… umm, “Women Being Disgusted” is the subject… ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2017, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eyelid-twitching/785546/19 "2017-05-01T12:48:01Z")
After a quick look, that’s an amusing thread.